Typewriting machine



Jan. 19,1926. 1,569,890

' J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10. 1922 firvenfar: 19M

I 9/ K1? 4? ma Alva/776] typingoperation ina wayto make possible thetyping of all of them at a Single oper- Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

NITED STATES PATENT oEFICE:

JESSE A. B. SMITH, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 UNDERWOOD TYPE-WRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPEWR-ITING MACHINE.

Application filed November 10, 1922. Serial No. 599,985.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jesse A. B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing in Stamford, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTypewriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to typewriting machines, and more particularly tothe provision in a typewriting machine of meansfor positioning andfeeding a pack of small slipsat one of the upper corners of acomparatively large sheet.

In accordance with a recognized method of hotel accounting, it iscustomary for a typist at the time of the registration of a guest totype his name and address, the number of the room to which he isassigned, and the datein the upper left-hand corner of a statement-sheetwhich is kept in duplicate and on a set of small memorandum slips whichare distributed among the various de' partments of the hotel.

j An object of this invention is to provide means for relativelypositioning the statement-sheets and the slips and for controllingthemovements of the latter during the ation. In addition to typing at thetop of the statement-sheets the data mentioned, it is also necessary totype the same or similar information on detachable stubs at thelowerextremities of said sheets, and this is done, according to thepresent invention, immediatelyafter the typing atthe top of the,statement-sheets and without removing the statement-sheets fromthemachine.

, feature of the invention is the provis- 10min a machine for thepurpose set forth,

of a front-insertion guide-sheet of suflicient flexibility to be passedabout the platen, but which is stiff enough to press firmly against thelower margin of the pack of memorandum slips and draw theslips rearwardinto the machine" from the front thereof.

' Another feature of the invention is the provision, in combination, ofan aligning plate at the front of the machine, a frontinsertionguide-sheet of the character mentioned above, a gage on the aligningplate for positioning the front-insertion guidesheets relatively to theguide-sheet preparatory to Writ'ng on thestubs at the bottom T c5 of thestatement-sheets.

Other features and inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

. Figure '1 is a front, elevation of a part of a typewriter having thepresent improvements applied thereto.

Figure 2 shows a statement-sheet with advantages will herea pack of thememorandum slips in the relaif tive positions occupied by them duringWriting. Y

Figure 3 shows the statement-sheet and memorandum slips positioned withreference to an aligning plate at the front of machine.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 1,showing the sheets inthe positions to which they are a'd- 'justed by gthe aligning plate.

Figure5 1s a v ew similar toFigure 4:, I

showing the sheets in the positions occupied by them during the writingof thefirst line.

The typewriting machine comprises a platen-frame 10, a rotary platen 11mounted therein, the usualline'spacing mechanism 12 for advancing theplatenstep by step to bring successive portions of thework into pos tionto be written upon by types 13, feedrollersl i co-operating with'theplaten, and means for releasing the feed-rollers including theusualfeedroller releasing handle 15.

A sheet 16 of thin flexible material of substantially the same width asthe platen, hereinafter referred to as the front-insertion guide-sheet,or simply as the guide sheet,' passes around the platen from the rear,a'nd has its rear end supported upon the usual papershelf 17. Thisguide-sheet 16 may be made of paper or other suitable a material havingthe required characteristics of resilience and flexibility.

Paper-fingers 18 pivoted on a rod 19 me tending across the platen-framecarry rollers 20 which are spring-pressed toward the i platen, forengaging the lateral margins of the guidesheet- 16. The springs 21 forpress ing the rollers 20 toward the platen may ad vantageously be madestronger than usual in order to prevent any sidewise slipping of theguide-sheet with relation to them.

A paper-guiding chute 22 for guiding the statement-sheets to the platenis mounted on a rod 23 in the rear of the paper-shelf 17. This chute mayconveniently be like that disclosed in the patent to McLaughlin, No1,209,865, granted December 6, 1916, and need not therefore be describedin detail. It will suffice here to say that the chute is pivoted on therod 23 extending between brackets 24 at opposite sides of theplaten-frame 10, and is urged in a clockwise direction, as seen inFigure by a spring 25 whereby its lower extremity is pressed at alltimes into engagement with the guide-sheet 16, and will be effectiveeither alone or in co-operation with the rollers 20 to preventdisarraugement of said guide-shcet during movements of thestatement-sheets E26 relatively thereto.

The machine is equipped with a rising sheet presser or guide 27,arranged to participate in the case-shitting movements of. theplaten-frame, similar to. that disclosed in the patent to Helmond, No.1,302,161, granted April 29. 1919. This guide is drawn to its lowerlimit of movement by springs 28 connected to it and to pins 29,, whichsprings are also eitective to swing it toward the hplaten into pressingengagement therewit An aligning plate 30 is mounted on a rod 31extending between brackets 32 at the opposite ends of the platen-frame10 in position to receive the statementsheets 26 at the delivery side ofthe platen. This aligning plate 30 is provided with an end gage 33 and aleft-side gage 34 for gaging the ends and left edges, respectively, ofthe statement-sheets 26 and the memorandum slips 35, and with aright-side guide 36 for guiding the statement-sheets. The aligning plate30 is also. provided with end gages 37 at its opposite sides and outsidethe side gages 34 and 36 for engaging the leading edge of thefront-insertion guide-sheet 16 which is wider than the statement-sheets,to position it rela tively to the statement-sheets 26 and memorandumslips 35 with its leading edge slight ly above the lower edges of thememorandum slips. The upper left-hand corner of the aligning plate 30 iscut away, as indicated at 30", to permit the slips and statement sheetsto be gripped by the operator in positioning them.

The machine is used for doing the work described in the followingmanner. The fced rollers 14 are released the front-insert on guide-sheet16 is positioned with its leading edge in engagement with the gages 37on the aligning plate 30; the statementsheets 26 guided by the chute 22are passed around the platen 11 from the back between the platen and theguidosheet; and their leading edges are brought into engagement withtheend gage 33 on the aligning plate. The pack of memorandum slips 35 isthen positioned by means of the gages 33 and 34 on the aligning plate,to overlie the state- 1ncnt-sheets, with its lower margin beneath theupper margin of the tront-insertirm guide-sheet 1t and with its upperand lefthand edges coinciding with the corres 'ionding edges of thestatement-sheets. The feedrollers 14 are then thrown on and the platenis turned larchward by a knob 38 to feed the statement-sheets and thepack of slips down to the first printing line, the guide-sheet 1!; beingalso fed by the platen at the same time. The guide 27 co-opcrates withthe rollers 20 to press the front-insertion guideshect 16 toward theplaten during this movement and thus cause its upper margin to pressfirmly against the lower margin of the pack of slips. The required datais then typed on the slips and statement-sheets, the platen beinglincspaced between lines in the usual way. After the sli )s have beentyped. they may be removed mm the machine, but it is still necessary totype the name and address of the guest, his roomnnmber and the date ondetachable stubs 3!) at the bottom of the statement-sheets 26.

In order to do this. the feed-rollers 1; are again released to enablethe statement-sheets to be drawn forward without disturbing theguide-sheet 16. The lower extremity of the chute :22, pressing againstthe guidosheet 16, prevents shifting thereof during this adjustment. Intyping the particular forms for which the machine is designed, theleading edge of the guide-sheet 16 will be located a sufiicient.distance below the writing position at this stage to permit the firstline of writ ing on the stubs 39 to be brought directly to, and exposedfor typing in. said position and to permit a subsequent line-spacingmovement oil. the ilatcn at typing of the detach able stubs, theguide-sheet being advanced meanwhile, without bringing the guide-sheetto the writing position. If the guide-shect is not so positioned, thestatementsheets 26 will be drawn forward by the operator sufficientlyfar to bring the second writing line into view, and the statementshectsand guide-sheet will then be turned back in unison by the platen and thefeed-rollers 14 to correctly locate the first writing line in writ ingposition. \Vith the feed-rollers on, the statement-sheets may be fedafter the typing of the first line on the stubs to the second writingline thereof. All of the data is written on two lines of the stubs.After the writing of the second line, therefore, the statement-sheetsmay be removed from the machine and the guide-sheet may be reposheet andthe short slip in the machine; in

combination, a revoluble platen, an aligning plate above the platen, atthe front thereof,

a leading-edge gage on the aligning plate for gaging the short slip andthe long worksheet by their leading edges to collate them, a flexiblesheet in the machine, outside the long work-sheet. forming a feedinggripper and front-insertion guide for the short slip,

" the flexible sheet-gripper and guide being wider than the longwork-sheet and the short slip, leadingedge gages on the aligning plate,outside the bounds of the long worksheet and the shortslip, andconsiderably below the first-mentimied leading-edge gage, forpositioning the guide and gripper-sheet with its upper margin above thewriting line andoverlapping the lower margln of the gagedshort slip, butleaving the upper portion of said slip exposed for typing, feed-rollscooperating with the platen to feed the long work-sheet and thegripper-sheet backward, and causing them to draw the short slip down towriting position, the feed-rolls being releasable when the short sliphas been typechto permit the long work-sheet to be advanced to positionfor typing at the foot thereof, while the guide and gripper sheetremains stationary below thewriting line, and means for gripping theguide-sheet stationaryduring such advance of the long work-sheet.

2. In a typewriting machine for typing a briefinscription at oneoperation upon a short slip and at the head of a long worksheet, and forthereafter typing a brief inscription at the footof the long work-sheet,all at asingle insertion of the long worksheet and the short slip in themachine; in combination, a revoluble platen, an aligning plate above theplaten, at the front thereof, a leading-edge gage on the aligning platefor gaging the short slip and the long Worka sheet by their leadingedges to collate them,

a flexible sheet in the machine, outside the long work-sheet. forming afeeding gripper and front-insertion guide for the short slip, theflexible sheet-gripper and guide being wider than the long work-sheetand the short slip, leading-edge gages on the aligning plate, outsidethe bounds of the long Worksheet and the short slip, andconsiderablybefor positioning the guide and gripper-sheet to overlap thelower margin of the gaged short slip, but to leave the upper portion ofsaid slip for a space greater than the combined length of the twoinscriptions exposed for typing, feed-rolls cooperating with the platento feed the long work-sheet and the gripper-sheet backward, and causingthem to draw the short slip down to writing position, means for pressingthe short slip to the platen at and above the writing line to assist incontrolling and feeding the short slip for typing, the feed-rolls beingreleasable when the short slip has been typed, to permit the longwork-sheet to be advanced to position for typing at the foot thereof,while the guide and gripper sheet remains stationary below the writingline, and means for gripping the guide-sheet stationary during suchadvance of the long work-sheet.

3. In a typewriting machine for typing a brief inscription at oneoperation upon a short slip and atthe head of along worksheet, and forthereafter typing a brief inscription at the foot of the longwork-sheet, all' at a single insertion of the long worksheet and theshort slip in the machine; in combination, a revoluble platen, analigning plate above the platen, at the front thereof,

long work-sheet, forming a feeding gripper and front-insertion guide forthe short slip, the flexible sheet-gripper and guide being wider thanthe long work-sheet and the short slip, leading-edge gages on thealigning plate, outside the bounds of the long worksheet and the shortslip, and considerably below the first-mentioned leading-edge gage forpositioning the guideand gripper-sheet to overlap the lower margin ofthe gaged shortslip, but to leave the upper portion of the slip exposedfor typing, means for gripping the margins of the guide and grippersheet to hold it stationary in its gaged position during adjustment ofthe long worksheet and the short slip, feed-rolls co-operating with theplaten for feeding the long work-sheet and the gripper-sheet backward,and causing them to draw the short sli down to writing position, thefeed-rolls being releasable when the short slip has been typed, topermit the long work-sheet to be advanced to position for typing at thefoot thereof, while the guide and gripper sheet remains stationary belowthe writing line, and means for gripping the guide-sheet stationaryduring such advance of the long work-sheet.

4. In a typewriting machine, a platen, feed-rollers co-operatingtherewith and movable to inoperative positions, a chute for guiding along sheet to the platen from the rear, a front insertion guide-sheetarranged for guiding short sheets around the platen from the frontthereof and participating in the linefeeding movements of the platenwhen the feed-rollers are in operative positions, a shelf at the rear ofthe platen beneath the chute supporting the guide-sheet, and meanspressingthe chute against the shelf for gripping the front insertionguidesheet for-preventing movement thereof when the feed-rollers are ininoperative positions, to permit the advance of the long worksheetrelatively to the guide-sheet.

5; In a typewriting machine for typing a brief inscription at oneoperation upon a short slip and at the head of a long worle sheet, andfor thereafter typing a brief in soription at the foot of the longwork-sheet, all at a single insertion of the long worksheet and theshort slip in the machine: in combination, a reroluble platen, aflexible sheet in the machine. outside the long worksheet. forming afeeding gripper and trontinsertion guide for the short slip, teed-rollsco-opcrating with the platen for feeding the long worksheet and thegripper-sheet backward, and causing them to draw the short slip down towriting position, the feed-rolls being releasable when the short sliphas been typed, topermit the long worksheet to be advanced to positionfor typing at the foot thereof, while the guide and gripper sheetremains stationary below the writing line, and means for gripping theguide-sheet stationary during such advance of the long work-sheet.

6. In a typewriting machine, a platen, feed-rollers cooperating with theplaten, a flexible gripper and guide sheet for short slips extendingaround the platen and arranged to participate in the rotation thereof, agage at the delivery side of the platen for positioning long sheets andshort slips with relation to each other, a gage for 10- cating theshort-slip guide with its upper margin above the writing line inposition to cover the lower margins only of the gaged short slips, andmeans for pressing the shortslip guide and gripper to the platen by itsside margins and at its middle at and above the writing line.

7. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a platen-frame, means at thedelivery side of the platen for relatively positioning a longwork-sheetand a short sheet slip, means for drawing the long work-sheetbackward to position it for writing. and means comprising asheet-presser mounted independently of the platen-frame but arranged forcaseshitting movement therewith, and a guide and gripper sheet held tothe platen by said sheetpresser, for causing the short slip to be drawnto writing position from above the writing line in unison with the longwork-sheet. i

S. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen, ofa flexible trout introducer sheet for the work feedable to and froaround the platen, means for gaging the advance of said introducer sheetat a work-introducing position with its leading edge a short distanceabove the writing line, teed-rolls for feeding the introducer sheetbackward to draw the work to writing position in the machine, therebeing ro vision for the travel of the excess lengti of the introducersheet at the rear of the platen, and means for gripping the introducersheet and holding it stationary belmv the writing line during subsequentadjustnient of the work in the machine.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a revoluble platen, ofa flexible front introducer sheet; for the work feedable to and froaround the platen, a collating table at the front of the platen havinggagof the platen, and means for ripping the introducer sheet and holdingit stationary below the writing hne during subsequent adjustment of thework in the machine.

JESSE A. B. SMITH.

